Builders’ goons cripple vigilant Ulhas couple

The Bajajs live in barrack no 1030 near Dassera maidan, where all locals depend on a nearby civic toilet block. The other nearest toilet block is over half-a-kilometre away. On April 3, Bajaj, a retired clerk from the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, saw 15 persons armed with hammers and pickaxes pulling down the toilet block close to their home. “I was told the toilet was being repaired,” said Bajaj, who added he was then concerned that even temporary lack of this facility would inconvenience him and his wife, who also has problems due to obesity.

However, when a wider chawl-like structure began to be built at the spot on April 15, the Bajajs and their neighbours knew it was the builder mafia at work. “Since none of our neighbours were willing to question the goons who would come to supervise the work, we were left alone to protest,” said Bajaj, adding, “if it were not for my handicap and my wife’s difficulty in moving, even we may not have stuck our necks out. At least we would have been spared this ordeal at this age.”

After their protest failed to work, the couple approached the UMC. “It took us a long time to get cogs in the civic body moving, but the UMC demolition squad finally razed the new structure on April 30. “Public health officials promised us a toilet would soon be reconstructed and we were happy our efforts had borne fruit, when we noticed reconstruction activity on May 1, a public holiday.” Bajaj informed the UMC about this development at 10:30 am today, after which, at around 4:30 pm, Chander Ahuja, Hashu Ahuja, Ramesh Ahuja and suspended civic employee Jethanand Hotchandani barged into the Bajaj home armed with steel pipes, a lathi, a knife and hammer. “When they began attacking my husband brutally,” said Sony, “I fell at their feet, pleading, but even I was attacked without mercy.” Even their screams did not make any of the neighbours come out and help, she added.

The childless couple has no relatives nearby. “My sister in Ahmedabad has been informed, but we do not know if she has the money to come here,” she noted. A neighbour Kesari Yadav (20) who had come to see the couple in the hospital said: “They are nice people and treat me and my husband like children. We had tried to make them understand that enmity with the goons was not good. I only wish they had listened to us.”

The Central police have arrested the four accused and charged them under Sections 324 & 326 (grievous hurt), 452 (house trespass), 504 (insult) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code. PSI Laxman Kale is handling investigations. Incidentally, Hotchandani was also arrested for a murder last year and is already under suspension by the UMC.